Western Playland to open newest roller coaster later this spring

A worker guides a section of track into place during assembly work on a roller coaster ride at Western Playland at 1249 Futurity Drive in Sunland Park, N.M. Tuesday. (Rudy Gutierrez/El Paso Times)

Western Playland is set to open its newest roller coaster, the Hurricane, around mid-May.

The attraction is about 55 feet high, has 1,400 feet of track goes just over 55 miles per hour creating between 4 and 5 maximum g-forces, said park owner/president Pat Thomson. The Italian-made coaster brings to number of park rides to 25, he said.

Thomson said people have been asking for a fast ride for a while, so they searched until this one from Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, CA became available.